BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
As part of activities marking this year’s World Environment Day, the President of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria (HEKAN), Rev. Amos G. Kiri, has called on Nigerian students to lead the charge in promoting environmental stewardship amid the growing impacts of climate change.
Speaking during a seminar organised in collaboration with an international environmental organisation in Kaduna State, Rev. Kiri stressed the urgent need for young people to take responsibility for the environment.
The seminar, themed ‘Environmental Stewardship in the Light of Climate Change: Promoting Cleanliness in Public Spaces, Workplaces, and Homes’ drew participants from various schools across the State.
Rev. Kiri who is also environmental advocate, said that environmental sustainability is not just a governmental responsibility but a collective one, particularly among the youth.
“The welfare of the Earth is directly tied to our own well-being. Students should be proactive in safeguarding their immediate environments”.
He lamented the increasing trend of indiscriminate waste disposal, linking it to recurring flooding and other ecological threats.
According to him, tree planting and discouraging deforestation can significantly help in mitigating climate change.
“We must begin a mindset shift. Students must rise as change agents in their communities”.
Rev. Kiri further urged parents and guardians to instil eco-friendly values in their children and adopt the culture of planting trees.
“Environmental stewardship must start at the grassroots, led by the youth who will inherit and shape the future,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr. Tubase Yakubu, who represented the school management, lauded HEKAN for its commitment to raising environmental awareness among students.
He described the seminar as timely and impactful, pledging the institution’s willingness to continue such partnerships for the benefit of both students and the wider community.
The seminar concluded with a symbolic clean-up exercise led by Rev. Dr. Kiri himself. Students, alongside the HEKAN delegation, engaged in clearing debris, collecting plastic waste, and planting trees within the school premises—an effort aimed at putting environmental lessons into practice.
